Regional Spotlight: New Mexico Builders Say It’s Easy to Go Green

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RISMEDIA, May 15, 2007-(MCT)-Green-built homes have hit the mainstream. Living in an energy-efficient house built of recycled materials once seemed like taking vitamins to most of us — probably virtuous, but hardly interesting, and likely a bit expensive.Well, perceptions change. Fuel costs, publicity about global warming and, lately, tax breaks offered by federal and state governments have helped make environmentally friendly homes downright attractive and more affordable than one might think.

Today’s green-built homes don’t look out of place in the average suburb and are “absolutely” within the price range of middle-income buyers, said Steve Hale, founding member of the Home Builders Build Green New Mexico committee.

“The key to a green-built home is the building envelope, the insulation, sealing of openings and improved framing. Overall, on a $200,000 house you can get very good energy upgrades for three percent to five percent of the total cost,” he said.

With such an upgrade, the home will need a smaller heating and cooling system and, overall, could save $450 out of a $3,000 annual heating and cooling bill, Hale said.

Tye Hardison, vice president of Charter Homes, one of a few local production builders who have begun to offer green-built models, said the homes can cost 2% to 3% more than a traditionally built house of the same size. But, he added, that experience with other construction trends has shown that costs can come down over time, as materials become common and subcontractors become more familiar with how to use them.

Hale and Hardison said size may be an obstacle to selling green-built homes to consumers used to shopping by price per square foot. Some green-built guidelines encourage building smaller homes as a way of conserving resources.

But, Hardison said, the homes offer other advantages.

“The green building guidelines encourage using materials and methods that make for better construction. You’re going to have a home with lower maintenance, much better heating and cooling constants and better indoor air quality,” he said.

Recognizing that many state and local governments are planning to incorporate some green principles into their building codes, builders are, in many ways, out in front of home buyers on the issue, Hale said.

In 2004, at the request of its members, the National Association of Homebuilders created a program that includes a set of guidelines for builders and a program for independent certification of the homes. The Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico modified the guidelines to fit the Southwest and created a program, Build Green New Mexico, in 2006.

Sara Eatman, Build Green New Mexico’s administrator, said 45 area builders have joined the program, and at least 70 houses should be certified under its guidelines in the next six months. Members include not just custom builders, but production builders like Charter and D.R. Horton, she said.

Armando Cobo, the education chairman of Build Green New Mexico, said the program is based on seven principles:

- Lot design, preparation and development. This includes proper siting of the house for best use of the sun and minimal disturbance of the soil and foliage;

- Resource efficiency. This includes using recycled materials, in addition to framing the house according to measurements that minimize waste;

- Energy efficiency. Proper insulation and sealing, proper window types and siting can help reduce energy demand by as much as half. The principle includes the use of fluorescent lighting and Energy Star appliances;

- Water efficiency. Besides the use of low-flow toilets, drip irrigation and gray water, this includes placing water heaters nearer the kitchen and bathroom and using more of them — smaller water heaters that produce hot water on demand instead of holding it in a large tank;

- Indoor air quality. Besides the use of proper insulation and sealing, and better ventilation, this includes the elimination of materials that contain volatile organic compounds like benzene, toluene and xylene. Cobo said the American Lung Association estimates the average American family spends $75 a month on health problems related to bad indoor air;

Homeowner education.

Build Green New Mexico builders will provide literature that explains the operation, maintenance and warranty procedures for a house’s equipment, in addition to telling about recycling opportunities and other sustainability initiatives in the community;
Global Impact. This principle includes the elimination of volatile organic compounds and the use of recycled materials. Builders try to use materials manufactured as close to home as possible to reduce the pollution related to transportation, Cobo said.

Hardison said some builders are beginning to put “green built” stickers on their for-sale signs.

Copyright © 2007, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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